It has been well documented that the rates of obesity in children have reached levels necessitating a comprehensive response. According to NHANES data, the percentage of overweight among children ages 6–11, approximately 4% in the 1960s, has now grown to 16%.
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In adolescents the increase is comparable. The risk of obesity continuing into adulthood is undeniable, and some have suggested that this is the first generation of children who will not outlive their parents. Many speculate as to why so many children have such a marked energy imbalance,
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yet the mechanism is not fully understood.
There is agreement about strategies
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for managing obesity, such as improving dietary choices, increasing physical activity, and decreasing time that children spend viewing television. Weight loss surgery
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is additionally demonstrating some promise for assisting with the management of severe obesity in children. Weight loss camps for children and adolescents also provide a safe and effective method for bringing about initial and rather dramatic weight loss.5–7
Recently, the new White House initiative sponsored by Mrs. Obama entitled Let's Move! has brought renewed awareness to the tremendous challenges presented by childhood obesity. Let's Move! is bringing increased attention and fiscal resources to healthy choices, healthier schools, and increased physical activity and access to healthy food sources. The goal of this initiative is indeed ambitious: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. A particularly important link on the Let's Move! page is for kids and youth (see www.letsmove.gov/kids/index.html; White House, n.d.
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). At this link are numerous educational materials, school resources, kid-friendly guides, and fun activities for children and youth to use to support their own goals.
The Food Studies Institute (FSI), a national nonprofit organization, is committed to keeping children healthy by teaching them about proper food and nutrition. This is accomplished through the Food Is Elementary© (FIE) Program, which uses an innovative school-based curriculum to educate children on the benefits of making wise food choices. With assistance from trained food educators, students engage in conversations about the synergy of food, nutrition, culture, healthy living, and the consequences of unhealthy food choices. These are very participatory and interactive sessions. Students take part in researching, planning, and preparing meals. They act as goodwill ambassadors in getting parents and the community involved. The educator facilitates the development of positive relationships with healthy nutritious food and helps to demystify food biases. Children absorb these lessons and put into practice what they learn by influencing food choices in the home environment. Research, designed and implemented through the Food Studies Institute, has shown the following:
The development of preference for fruits, vegetables and whole foods over processed junk foods
Reduced Body Mass Index and improved general health in school children within just weeks of educational intervention
A welcomed introduction of plant-based entrees into the school lunch program
Parents choosing healthier foods due to the influence of their children
Dramatic improvement in the behavior, mind set and academic performance of troubled teens
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The goal is to make food and nutrition fun, have the children make thoughtful and meaningful choices, and lay the foundation of knowledge for the students to take with them as they transition into adulthood. Further information about FSI can be found at www.foodstudies.org.
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The Centers for Disease Control provide the gold standard for resources to use in assessing and understanding the consequences of overweight and obesity in children while exploring the numerous recommendations for prevention and management. Parents and professionals can find exceptional guidance for calculation and use of Body Mass Index percentages in the assessment and follow-up of weight issues in children. This site also has information regarding healthy weight, healthy lifestyles, and strategies found to be effective for understanding the relationship between effective nutrition and activity. See Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html).
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The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a joint venture between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Their mission is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015 and to empower kids to make healthier lifestyle choices.
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To accomplish this, the Alliance first identifies where children spend their time, and then develops opportunities to introduce concepts of nutrition, physical fitness, and healthy eating.
Under the Alliance umbrella is the Healthy School Program, which explores innovative and unique ways to incorporate healthy lifestyle lessons into daily school activities. Students are encouraged to take the initiative and think creatively on the changes they want to see in themselves and in their school, thus becoming the impetus for transformation. Ideas that have transitioned into practice include the cultivation of organic vegetable gardens, participation in student wellness councils, the involvement of food service in creating healthier selections, the elimination of sodas from vending machines, the development of physical fitness fundraisers, merging lessons with short bursts of activity in the classroom, and commitment from educators.
Examples abound. One educator, realizing she was not modeling the behaviors she was advocating, made an exercise video, creating teachable moments. Another school decided to forsake the traditional sugary snacks that kids bring in for birthday celebrations and instead give them the option of participating in healthier, fun, and age-appropriate activities that they had a hand in developing.
Collaborations with communities, parents, schools, corporations, and faith-based organizations are key components in making this initiative successful. With the children engaging in the process, receiving recognition and respect for their efforts, and embracing healthy lifestyle choices, the possibilities of what they can accomplish are unlimited. Additional information can be accessed at www.healthiergeneration.org.
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The interactive Food Champs website, www.foodchamps.org,
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is for children ages 2–8 and teaches them the fundamental importance of incorporating fruits and vegetables into their diet. With the help of Fruit and Veggie Color Champions™, children have the opportunity to learn, in a manner that is both familiar and easy for them, about the colors, shapes, sizes, and textures of fruits and vegetables. Educational activities encourage children to understand the process of how fruits and vegetables get to the market, identify healthy food substitutions, assess correct portion and serving sizes, and participate in developing grocery lists and shopping with their parents. There are downloadable and printable activity pages, coloring forms, food calendars, and stickers.
Founded in 1994, Shape Up America! is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue and to providing responsible information on healthy weight management. Located on the website is a data entry area where a parent or professional can enter data about the child and receive appropriate growth charts of the child's current state. The site allows for the entry of up to six data points and can provide a visual resource to see the progress of a child over time. See Shape Up America! (www.shapeup.org/oap/entry.php).
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Many Internet sites provide additional assessment resources. The Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, has a site that provides information to assist in the assessment of children's energy needs and make suggestions about nutrition that the child needs to support growth and development. See the Healthy Eating Plan Calculator at Children's Nutrition Resource Center www.bcm.edu/cnrc/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Information Center, is the home of the Food Guide Pyramid. This informs and guides nutrition recommendations and practices. One particular aspect of this site is a guide to the Food Pyramid that includes cultural and ethnic nutrition, including Asian, Native American, Mediterranean, and other dietary regimes. See also Food and Nutrition Information Center
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; and for cultural and ethnic nutrition, see Food and Nutrition Information Center.
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Without a doubt, childhood and adolescent obesity is in the national spotlight. Professionals and parents, not to mention our young charges, seeking answers to difficult questions are at risk for careless distribution of inaccurate information. The availability of accurate, effective resources is vast. Each and every one of the resources documented here has a readily accessible wealth of linked additional resources. There is literally something for everyone with questions or concerns about this serious public health concern.
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